Electric switch



Ref 16,737

E. coNNELL ELECTRIC SWITCH Original Filed April 20. 1922 annu-lh);

Erl, Hw? i- S n Reissued Sept. 13, 1927.

f My invention relates toY improvements in electric switches of the type which is adapted toelfect a break and make of the contact at either throw of the switching member,

and has for its 'object the effective control of t-wo distinct circuits with instant .breaks `of each circuit by the provision of quickacting, spring-controlled' apparatus.

My invention may be advantageously exdrawings illustrating a plunger-actuated switch govei'ningtwosets of make and break contacts, which are adapted to control two individual electric circuits; In the apparatus lherein shown as embodying my invention'there is provided a ltoggle connection with the actuating lever, which is disposed closely adjacent tothe! pivotal mounting of` the lever and is adapted'to efi -fect substantially an instantaneous movement of the lever and its associated parts when the tog le isl forced-pastthe center under the tension of the controlling spring. The features of this improvement may be further explained and the advantages of operation? pointed outfby makingreference to the accompan ing'd-rawings, wherein: 'Figure l'is a ragnentiary Yview of the' apparatus shown partly in section vand with ,the-'top removedgand Y i 4 :Figurel Q'is a vertical section ofthe'ap- "aratus'partly broken away v a'hndshown 'in vliillat the-left.r f

The saineV character 4of rre'ferencefis eniever shown in these` drav'viiigs-V Y ^The switchiiigvdevice prp'erl is-'shown at the' egrtremeleft' ofthe two' figures of' the drawin j, respectively in plan g(and side 40 views,V ing o1( the .plunger type with two lsets of .op'piis'ng` contacts @,a, and b, b', which in practice maybe connectedfor .the control 'of independent civrs'uitax, as z'desired A. plunger cY carrying 'anfin'sulating cross head-'Cf vniountin ypiiired vs 'etslof contacts a. 'and b/f, isjmova, le lbodily, 4as"distinggrushed Ar'om ypivotalnio've'xiie,n t, by means'fofgthe 10 plained in connection with the accompanying` 35 ployed for Vindicatingidentical parts wherf links d.: pivotaliy z connected at e", with' ehe- *f UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

n oiiimm., or .:Liazviinaiviii` cino, essiqiron To Tim VAN nomi` ELECTBVIC so@ mwa im einem @11.10, www-10N' 0F 931- www aww#- riginal No.V 1,471,308, dated October 16, 1923, Serial No. 555,786,11ed April' 20, 1922.v Application for y reissue led February =8, H -Y 1924. Serial No. 691,514.

the upper end of members f, thus forming the active actuating means for the toggle lever mechanism shown.

Members f are bent toward each other and are united by the cross pin lf with the angularly bent end L of the plunger rod h, fll'iis plunger rod has a coiled spring which 1s tensioned normally to forcey the lrod'fand connected parts toward the right of the appliance as viewed in the drawings; said `angular end 7L being pivoted ath?? i to move with the rod. A controlling lever j mounted in the casing is connected with the plunger rod h by means of a link j', and yvvhenQt'liis controlling lever isactuated upon its pivot into the dotted line position it is evident that the plunger rod will beV forced tothe left, thereby compressing the spring z' and actu; ating the toggle mechanism and. connected switch parts.'

The' operation of said togglefmechanism is accomplished with greater speed and cer, tainty and with less ,danger of arcing than any switching appliance' of the' prior-art with which I am acquainted. Because 'of the particularmanner of lconnecting thesev.- eral parts of the actuating mechanism, initial vmovement of plunger-rod i to tli'elet, as

.viewed inthe' figures ofthe drawing," vwill f not disturb the 'engagement' between contacts a, a and a, but onthe otherf'liand's'u'ch .initial movement ofthe plunger""ro'd will tend to maintain' s aid contact vin' undisturbed engagement: until the loiigitudinahaxisbf spring-'glie moved to the i"other ANside of the 'pivotal' point f, whereupon'the'contact- 'afl' will ble, snapped at once from `full Ycontact position. In' other words, the initialfmovethrough links f ande so as to tend to move links Z ,also towargd's the left,th,at is, towardsvseatin `engagement. ItV will Fbe understood "ment, of rod h to the left will'tr'ansrit force that t ex tensionedspring 'g'i'sV a'ctingfbetween the pin f and the pivotal n'viouitinge so tacts b andl contacts b, b' It will appai-entt that the movement of .these permets is' attained: with ai@ added .rapidity "insured 'by encarnan-"of the" over;

i `will throw members against ythe actuating 1evers close to their pivotal mounting e', so that an exceedingly quick break is insured irrespectiveof the speed with which the trigger or controlling lever'j is depressed into the dotted line position. When this trigger is manually released from vits extreme position within the casing slotted at j to receive said trigger, spring t' immediately acts to retract the plunger rod h toward the right and the toggle mechanism once more being reversed in posit-ion, will cause the switch parts to disengage the contacts b',A

b instantaneously, and reengage contacts a, a', a. However, in the same manner as above explained, the initial movementl of the plunger rod to the right will tendlto maintain the contacts b, b', 7), in full and undisturbed engagement until the longitudinal axis of spring g is moved beyond the pivotal oint f, whereupon lthe contact a Ee snapped at. once from full Contact position. The initial movement of rod to the right tends tomove links l also .to the right, that is towards seatingengagement.v` 1 Thus,`I have devised animproved mechanism that is not only quick-acting in its vop'- erationof the switch'but one which also preventsarcing `rbetween the contact memrs. I Having now described the preferred embodiment of'my invention, I claim herein and desire to secure rights therein as follows. f A1. In an electric switch, the combination of a fixed contact'member, a slidable contact member for engagement therewith, operating` means for said slidable contact member, and means adapted to be energized by said operating means preparatory to effecting quick-acting opening movement ofsaid slidable contact member, said parts -being so constructed and arranged that-actuation of said operating means during the vpreliminary stage of energization of Asaid other means tends to maintain said slidable contact member in engagement withsaid fixed Contact member.

2.l In an electric swit-ch, the combination of a fixed contact member, a slidablegcom tact member forengagement therewith, op-

. erating means for said slidable contact member, and spring means adapted to be ,ener gized by said operating means preparatory to effecting quick-acting opening'movement of said slidable contact member, said parts being so constructed and arranged that actuation of said operating 'means during the preliminary stage of Venergimation of said spring meanstends to maintain saidslidable y contact'- `member in engagement withv said fixed contact member: Y 1

3. In an electric switch, the combina-tion of a fixed contact member, a bodily movable Contact member for .engagement therewith,

, inthe same direction upon said movable coning movement of said movable contact memmember, said parts being so constructed and .contact member in the Opposite` direction at 11o 'and tending to break the toggle, and means .turb the closed vcondition of the, swlt'ch untilP -moved beyond straightened position, where- 12.5

elling contact. member, a contact. thereon uw operating means for said lmovable contact member, connecting levers between said op` erating means and said movable contact member,` said parts being so constructed and arranged that movement of said operating means in one direction tendsto exert a force tactlv member, and quick-acting means controlledby said operating mea-ns tor effect ber in the opposite direction at a predetermined pointin the actuation of' saidl connecting levers.

4. In `an electric switch, the combination of a xed contact member, a body movable contact member Vfor engagement therewith, f operating means for said -mov'able contact member, connecting leve-rs between said operating means and said movable contact member, said parts being so constructed and arranged that movement ofsaid operating y' means in one direction tends tonexert a force in the same direction upon said movable contact member, and a spring Aoperativelyconnected with said levers and controlled' by saidoperating means for effecting quick l* moveinent'of said movable contact member in the opposite direction at a predetermined point in the actuation of said connecting levers. Y y

5. In an electric switch, the combinationrf of a fixed contact member, a movable contact member for engagement therewith operating means for said movable ,contact member, a togglelevermechanism between said operating means and said movablel Contact arranged that movement otsaid voperating means in one direction tends to exert a force in the same direction upon. said movable contact member, anda spring-operatively connected, with said toggle lever mechanism` and controlledby said operating means for effecting quick movement of saidmovable a predetermined point inthe actuation Iof said toggle lever mechanism. i l, 6. In an electric switch, the combination of a fixed Contact membena movable contact member for engagement therewith, toggle members extending in .adirection generally transverse to theldirection of movement ofysaid movable contact member, a spring connectedtofsaid toggle members lon opposite sides ofthe joint vbetween said members R20 yfor flexing'the-said togglemembers in 'op osite directions butwithout tendin to isupon full actuation of ysaid movable contact member is quickly veffected by saidv spring.,

7. In aan-electric switch, `the, combination with paired stationary contacts, l of a 'travadapted to engage rsaid paired contacts, and

toggle'actuating mechanism for said member, comprising a pivotedVv actuating lever connected at a distance beyond its pivot with said member, an overthrow member connect-y ed with said lever adjacent to its pivotal mounting, a spring interposed between theV respective pivotal mountings, and means for actuatingy the. overthrow member into alternative operative positions for tensioning and suddenly releasing the spring, substantiallyV as set forth. 8. In an electric lswitch of the-class del scribed, the combination with' paired sta- Vtionary contacts, of a travelling contactmakinglmember adapted to electrically close with said paired contacts, and a toggle actui ating mechanism connected withsaid meni-V ber, comprising apivoted actuatinglever, an overthrowV memberl pivoted upon `said actuating lever near its pivotal mounting, a

spring connecting the extremities of said parts in tensioned relation, and a controlling part'associated with said overthrow member, adapted to force it into alternative positions j 1 of reaction upon the actuating lever from the opposite sides of and near its pivotal mounting, substantially .as set forth.

9.111 an electric switch of the class described, the combination with opposing y paired velectrical contacts, of atravelling "contact-making member adapted alternatively to close with said paired sets of contacts, and a toggle actuating mechanism l. v*connected to effect the travel of said memfber, comprising a pivoted actuating lever connected adjacent to its outer end with the contact-making member, an overthrow meni- .ber pivoted upon said actuating lever near its vpivotal mounting, aspring connectingV ltionary contacts, of a'travellin ating mec the outer extremities of said parts in tensioned relation, a plunger controlling the overthrow member and a spring associated withV the lunger and normally adapted to hold itin its retracted position, substantially as set forth. y

,10. In an electric switch of the class described, the combination with lpaired stacontactmaking member, adapted to electrically close with said aired contacts, and a toggle actullianism connected withsaid meniber, comprising a ivoted actuatin lever connected with sai member at aistance from Vits pivotal mounting, an overthrow `member connected with said actuating lever in position to react thereon from' opposite sides. and va springinterposed between the vrespective,pivotalmountings of said parts, A.

60 lever and its-connected'contact-making inemadapted to effect the sudden actuation of the ber, substantially; as set forth.

11. In an electric switch, the-combination Vot a fixed contactv member, a slidable contact'y member i forv engagement therewith, operattion with said slidable contact member, and means adapte'd to be energized by said operatingvmeans preparatory to effecting quickacting opening movement of -said slidable contact member, said arts ybeing so constructed and arrangedV that actuation of said operatingv means during the preliminary stage of energizing said other means tends `through said direct connection'to maintain said slidable contact member in'engagement with saidxed contact member. l

In testimony whereof I do now -affix my signature.

ving means therefor having a direct connec- EDWIN L.V coNNELL. 

